OMG, Danny Weathers and his troupe of talented thespians/ music makers and techies have raised the bar again at Waterfront Playhouse. Their latest hit, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” is manic magic that breaks a lot of records, as well as a few conventions, and well may break the ticket sales/full houses/ sell out ceiling as well.

Consider yourself warned. Get your tickets now. This show is remarkable, even in a season where both of Key West’s professional theaters have served up winner after winner. Words fail to encompass Weathers’ directorial skills. We might consider sainthood.

It almost goes without saying that the actors/singers/ dancers are competent, often consistently excellent, occasionally absolutely inspired. Perennial favorite Mike Mulligan, as Lawrence, the older, maybe wiser con man, oozes charm and savoir-faire, while co-star Eric Cole as Freddy is certainly in the running for Key West’s best male ingénue. (Is he really that young? We suspect skillful acting.) Both make the rottenness of the title seem rather an appealing character flaw. After all, they only set out to fleece the very rich.

And who’d have guessed that song — um — stylist Gassy Winds, dragdom’s ugliest queen since the retirement of Alma Jean, would clean up into an extraordinary character actor and member of Actor’s Equity? J.B. McLendon owns the top supporting role of André, Lawrence’s sidekick and the very French, very corrupt police chief of their tiny Riviera village. His timing is priceless.

The perennial female ingénue, Kristen Michelle (known and loved as Kristen Bussiere before she joined Equity recently), who initially seems stuck in the stereotype, finally and very convincingly breaks free. Hooray for women’s liberation!

While the songs aren’t really memorable, they support the plot and are executed with perfect effect, with solid applause for the orchestra, conducted by multi-talented musical director Michael Fauss.

Actually, everybody is multi-talented; they have to be. Gayla Morgan, in the featured role of dumb-like- a-fox Muriel, also plays violin in the orchestra, and everybody has to act, sing and dance. It is Weathers’ particular skill that he was able to cast folks in supporting roles who are headliners in their own right, notably Morgan and Traci Reynolds as Jolene, but extending to many of the pitch perfect ensemble: David Black, Carolyn Cooper, Marc Crow, Rhett Kalman (also Equity), Jessica Miano Kruel, Joe McMurray, Maggie Meier, Ruben Navarro and Amy Ray.

Book for the almost nonstop musical is by Jeffrey Lane, music and lyrics by David Yazbek, based on the film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. Interestingly, the program notes say nothing about the show’s/writer’s history — probably because there was no room left after bios of the large cast of 15 plus staff — superlative technical work was done by ever-inventive set designer, Michael Boyer, lighting designer Kim Hanson, costume designer Jose Rivera (www.jmrcostume designs.com), costume coordinator Leigh Hooten and stage manager Lisa Alderdice.

Pre-publicity noted the record-setting 27 set changes, more than 100 costumes and 20 production numbers. Thus special cheers ring out for Hooten’s staff, Ruth Calhoon and Carmen Rodriguez. Some or all of them have to serve as dressers and render order out of the chaos of that many costume changes.

Even louder cheers are due choreographers Penny Leto and Christine Marguerite, for the dancing hardly seems to stop — which gave rise to the elimination of our personal pet peeve: sitting in what seems like endless blackouts during scene changes. Dancers cleverly masked many if not most of those 27 set changes, and fervent thanks to whomever thought that up.

And given the size of the Henry Woods Stage at the playhouse, it’s a choreographic miracle that prevented actual collisions.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is purely fresh, hilarious fun. Don’t miss it.

Phone the box office at 294-5015 or visit WaterfrontPlayhouse. org.

If it’s a total sell-out before this review runs, Sister Season Fund board member McLendon is hosting a benefit Riviera Night on Wednesday, March 16, which can include cocktails and dinner at Latitudes on Sunset Key, casino gaming for fun, silent auction, the show and a champagne meet-the-cast reception afterward for $100 or $50 for all but Sunset Key. Phone 295-0513 or go to SisterSeason.org.

review by C.S. Gilbert

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M A R C H 1 3 , 2 0 1 1 ◆ P A G E 6

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ Is Funny, Fresh, Clean Fun

review by C.S. Gilbert